breaking news tonight. terror at texas shopping mall. at least 1peop are dead >> go! go go come on! >> chaos and confusion as a gunman fires shot after shot inside an el paso walmart. >> doo, doo, doo >> shoppers hiding, not knowing where to run. dozens more rushed to the hospital the young suspect now in police custody. authorities now searching for a motive plus new questions tonight on just how safe so-called soft targets are. today's shooting just days after a gunman opened fire at a food festival

deadly cliff collapse a hillside comes tumbling down trapping beachgoers below, killing three. local authorities warning more landslides could be coming and swimmers beware another possible shark bite today a diver rushed to the hospital more beaches closed after yet more dangerous encounters plus, flying high? two united airline pilots arrested today for suspicion of drinking before they were supposed to fly the flight canceled. passengers stranded and it's not the onl time that's happened this week. >> announcer: this is nbc "nightly news" with jose diaz-balart. good evening we begin with another mass shooting in america. this time at a back to school sale at a walmart in el paso, texas. according to law enforcement sources, at least 19 people are dead at least 40 injured. as the gunman moves through the store, terrified shoppers

screaming, running for safety this is what it looked and sounded like as he fired indiscriminately [ shots fired there are so many victims at the hospital, police have put out an urgent call for blood donations. we now know the identity of the 21-year-old suspect in custody. an investigation into the motive is now underway we begin our coverage with nbc's kathy park. >> reporter: panic in el paso this morning when a day of shopping turned into horror with an active shooter on the loose >> run that way. >> reporter: shoppers running out of cielo vista mall and the walmart supercenter next door where bodies were seen lying outside. stores went into lockdown as a jcpenney employee began directing people to safety >> you have to run down >> the shooter's that

way? >> reporter: others choosing to hide from the danger kianna long and her husband made their way out. unharmed but shaken by the terrifying moments inside the walmart >> doo, doo, doo and then he was like -- yes. people were running inside saying there was a shooter. >> reporter: the first calls to police coming in just after 10:00 a.m. local time. within minutes, multiple law enforcement agencies swarmed the area and secured it while telling people to stay away >> this is a homicid scene or a possible homicide scene the scene will be secured, locked down, and our investigation will start >> reporter: tonight law enforcement sources confirming that 21-year-old patrick crusius is in custody and multiple victims are being treated at area hospitals. >> we have more information that we have not put out on what the motive for the shooting is. we are working that. >> reporter: governor greg abbott writing "the state of texas will do everything it

can to make sure justice is delivered to the perpetrators of this heinous act." this busy texas shopping center becoming the latest mass shooting less than a week after the last one kathy park, nbc news >> nbc justice correspondent pete williams joins us from washington pete, good evening what else do we know about the shooter? >> well, police in texas, jose, with the help of the fbi and the atf are now looking into the background of this man identified as the suspect, patric crusius. authorities say he's from allen, texas. that's a dallas suburb law enforcement officials in texas say they believe he wrote a roughly 600-word essay on the internet and posted it roughly an hour before the shooting they say i attat expresses anti-immigrant sentiment and expresses support for the shooting attacks in new zealand that targeted mosques the gunmen in those attacks was in turn inspired by a man who carried out a deadly shooting in denmark this 2011. officials say the weapon used in today's

shooting was an ak-47 semi-automatic assault-style rifle and the atf is working tonight to figure out when and where that was purchased and whether it was bought legally. for nowpolice in texas are in charge of this investigation but if it turns out that crusius in fact did write the internet posting federal authorities could file hate crime charges and administration officials say tonight that no decision has been made about that attorney general william barr issued a brief statement tonight saying, "those who commit such atrocities should be held accountable swiftly and to the fullest extent the law allows." jose >> pete williams in washington thank you. reporter shelby kap from our nbc affiliate ktsm in el paso skroinz us from the walmart. it's a massive investigation at this hour, shelby >> reporter: well, that's right we are standing directly behind that walmart where that shooting took place this morning and it is still an active scene. even though this has been going on for hours. it was more active earlier in the day we did see s.w.a.t. and multiple police units already leave the scene today, but

there are still a lot of men here on the ground what te the tell us is the shooting first occurred at walmart but then they received multiple reports from the cielo vista mall and they're saying right now only one man in custody however, that could change due to those other reports that did come in. but they are ruling out another shooter at this moment. now, they do tell us this could turn into a mass fatality. however, they have not released the exact numbers yet due to the amount of people that were leaving in their own vehicles and actually that walmart parking lot still full of cars right now because a lot of people were not able to leave from that scene and as i said they told us, the el paso police told us they would update us on the number of people involved as soon as those numbers became available now, we did see video of people helping everyone out of that walmart to try to get them to the hospitals as quickly as possible jose >> shelby kapp, thank you very much. this was the second mass shooting this week at a so-called soft target, an unprotected public place where people gather it could be a mall, a festival, or even a

church nbc's zasha burns now on just how vulnerable these places can be. >> reporter: they've become all too common. just one week after the last mass shooting, another one terrifying a community. this time at a shopping mall in el paso there have been 249 mass shootings so far this year. all of them at soft targets. places like sports venues, shopping centers, schools and parks are particularly vulnerable for their open space and relative lack of security >> i've seen someone wearing a large trenchcoat in 90-degree weather. that's going to set an alarm off in my mind that something is not right. >> reporter: retired nypd lieutenant darryl porter points out potential for red flags in a large new york city park what are the challenges in securing a place like this? >> we have thousands of people in the park right now. so it's impossible for us to have 100% security here. but the key is only any prens. >> reporter: even when soft targets do step

up security there are still vulnerabilities. at last week's garlic festival in gilroy attendees reported seeing security on site gilroy police had a compound on the ground with horses and motorcycles. but it didn't stop santino william legan from cutting through a fence and shooting 15 people, leaving three of them dead so what's your message to people coming to parks like this, coming to concerts every day? >> the apex is awareness. you want to be aware of your surroundings you want to know how to enter and how to exit as quickly and as safely as possible >> reporter: if you see something suspicious, tell authorities. dasha burns, nbc news, new york president trump weighed in on the shooting today, pledging his full support for the victims and the steve el paso and the 2020 candidates weighed in as well. kelly o'donnell is traveling with the president in new jersey kelly, good evening. how did the president find out >> reporter: good evening, jose. the first word from advisers came to us telling us the president was working the phones from his

bedminster, new jersey residence and he called texas governor greg abbott and the u.s. attorney general william barr and then the presidential put his own voice out publicly on twitter and he said, "terrible shooting in el paso. reports are very bad many killed. he said he's working with local -- state and local authorities. and then his last line really stands out. "god be with you all." jose >> the 2r57b8gd also drew reaction from many in the democratic presidential field >> reporter: yes, that's right, jose what we saw today is many of the candidates were together in las vegas at an event there but none perhaps more personally than beto o'rourke who is of course the former congressman representing el paso his home town. he spoke emotionally backstage. >> i am incredibly saddened it is very hard to think about this >> reporter: he called his home town very strong and he's canceled campaign events over the next few days so he can return home. jose >> kelly o'donnell, thank you very much.

to another frightening scene tonight, this one at a beach near san diego where a cliff above it chanced, sending dirt and debris below, trapping beachgoers and killing three. molly hunter joins us from encinitas, california molly, what have authorities learned? >> reporter: jose, good evening we've just learned very tragic news all three victims were members of the same family a daughter, a mother and an aunt. they were just here for a fun day at the beach. you can see right there where those flowers are. that is actually where that chunk of cliff came off this entire area, you see the yellow tape, is still closed. >> we have three victims just north of the grandview staircase. >> reporter: tonight a popular surf spot off limits after a 30-foot slab of cliff collapsed killing three people >> we have two other patients both are minor injured. >> reporter: it happened just before 3:00 p.m beachgoers were facing the ocean at low tide caught off guard as the sand came rushing in from behind

>> like if you dump out a bucket of sand onto the beach imagine that times a thousand >> reporter: first responders including lifeguards on duty jumped into action, arriving on the scene within minutes >> you could see them aggressively doing cpr in the back of the truck. it was really scary. >> these cliffs are unstable actually, this stuff slides all the time. >> reporter: the steve encinitas even warns visitors of the possibility for landslides and stresses on their website that hiking near or directly on top of the bluff is prohibited adding it's important for visitors to avoid standing or sitting directly underneath unstable bluffs since they may collapse. and officials say beachgoers above all need to stay alert >> what do you tell beachgoers who want to come enjoy the beautiful coast? >> this is a natural environment and the beach is always dynamic. that means it's changing every minute of the every day when we have a tragedy like this, it really reminds people that you need to stay away from the bluff >> so enjoy what we've got in california but

be -- >> absolutely. enjoy what we have and realize that just like any place you go in nature it's a natural environment and bad things can happen when you're not paying attention. >> reporter: now, when the tide is high on days like, this you see the high water line, there's not really room even for chairs for beachgoers to sit in. but as the tide goes out, authorities say you should really be about 30, 40 feet away from those bluffs but always, always listen to the lifeguards on duty jose >> molly hunter, thank you very much. still ahead tonight, pilots in trouble. we'll tell you why two got arrested today and the flight canceled. if you have moderate to severe psoriasis, little things can be a big deal. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable. don't use if you're allergic to otezla. it may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression

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prevagen. healthier brain. better life. we're back now with new concerns about airline safety this time concerning pilots at major airlines and whether they've been drinking before flying. in the second incident this week, two pilots were arrested while attempting to board their flights. after authorities suspected them of drinking kelly cobiella has more >> reporter: at scotland's glasgow airport, two pilots arrested this morning under laws governing pilot sobriety the unidentified men, to glas. it was canceled. they confirm the pair age 61 and 45, due to captain united airlines flight to new jersey the flight was canceled they confirm the pair was in custody pending a court appearance on tuesday, august 6. united airlines in a statement reiterating its strict no tolerance policy for alcohol adding that the pilots were

immediately removed from service prompting passenger anger, this traveller asking, is this the best you can do, u.a.? this isn't the first time united pilots have been caught out in 2016 two united airlines pilots were arrested and subsequently jailed after attempting to fly while over the alcohol limit. first officer paul grabank was sentenced to ten months in prison his colleague roberto licona jailed for 15 months alcohol and flying has been a problem for the airline industry this week a delta pilot was removed from a plane at minneapolis-st. paul international airport. in february, an american airlines flight was canceled after one of its pilots was arrested in manchester, england. kelly cobiella, nbc news, london there was yet another shark attack today. this one just off miami. up and down the east coast, beaches are closed this weekend due to shark sightings. morgan chessky has more on why and spoke

to one man who survived an attack >> reporter: they're the calm waters just minutes from miami that this morning turned dangerous in an instant. >> marine patrol, copy someone with a hand injury is en route >> reporter: the call a reported shark bite. the victim, a man diving offshore. the damage so bad, rescuers rushed him from the waters to the nearest trauma center. the shark attack florida's third in just two weeks just up the coast, 18-year-old reed zipper ended up with 19 stitches after a surfing trip turned into a fight for survival >> i got on the board. i paddled once and it like bit me. i thought wow, i feel lucky. >> reporter: so far this year the u.s. has seen reported 34 shark attacks, one of them deadly 65-year-old thomas smiley of california killed swimming in maui and sharks can even be a danger outside the water. this week, charter boat captain rick katin reeled in a black tip shark off

cape hatteras, north carolina which then clamped down on his calf >> it was like a dog with a big stick in his mouth. it seemed like an eternity when we couldn't get him off >> reporter: experts don't have a specific cause for what's behind the attacks but say warmer waters and temperatures put sharks and swimmers in closer proximity >> they move better and hunt better if things are warm, especially if they're adapted to the warmer climate. >> reporter: from cape cod to florida, shark sightings have shut down beaches during a busy summer season making many rethink their plans. >> we're not afraid to go in the water but we don't go much over waist deep >> tonight in miami, rescuers say the diver is expected to survive. his encounter adding to an already growing concern of what lies beneath these waters morgan chesky, nbc news, miami. and we are back in a moment with the story of a college sports star and the mystery about why his sister might have gunned him down. plus the comeback.

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deante strickland post aid week ago >> it was time for me to come back home and get a chance to play in front of my family and be closer to my family and help my little brother a lot with school. >> reporter: the 22-year-old was a popular student and & athlete at portland state university, playing both basketball and football but yesterday he was killed, gunned down allegedly by his sister, tame nah strickland his family's now asking why >> he's a very nice kid. he didn't get in no trouble. he barely know what the police was, let alone get in trouble you know, he just did all the things right went to school >> reporter: the shooting friday afternoon, deante at home in northeast portland with his family when his sister walked in, allegedly shooting him, his aunt, and grandmother. both women made it out alive, but deante did not survive. kenneth carter says he was driving down the street when deante stumbled into the road, pleading for help >> his arms were flailing and flapping as to kind of signal to stop me i stopped the car, rolled down the passenger window he kind of came by my passenger window, was still yelling help >> reporter: some construction workers

on the road saw daentd y deante wounded, bleeding from the chest and back they tried in vain to perform cpr on him as he rugled for breath tonight the family dmis belief over the triple shooting with no clear motive as students mourned the loss of one of their own. >> the happiest person you'll ever meet his smile just lit up any room he walked into >> reporter: a life cut short. but his impact lives on >> don't take the time for granted. it goes by fast. so try to enjoy every moment >> so kendis, what's next in the's investigation? >> well, overnight tamena strickland, the sister, was taken into custody. she's facing murder and attempted murder charges. police right now have no idea what sparked all of this. her brother zaentd yay just graduated, had his undergrad degree last month, and was going back for his masters this fall. >> kendis gibson, thank you very much. a day at the pennsylvania racetrack has turned deadly for speak taitors.

67-year-old richard speck was killed by an out of control race car at the speedway last anytime night he was sitting in his pickup truck when he was hit by a car that went over the infield fence. when we come back, the ultimate comeback. how one group is working to bring an endangered frog back from the brink of extincti extinction follow me. choosing a plan can be super-complicated. but it doesn't have to be. unitedhealthcare can guide you through the confusion, with helpful people, tools and plans. including the only plans with the aarp name. well that wasn't so bad at all. that's how we like it. aarp medicare plans, from unitedhealthcare. aarp medicare plans, since my dvt blood clot i was thinking... could there be another around the corner? or could it turn out differently? i wanted to help protect myself. my doctor recommended eliquis. eliquis is proven to treat and help prevent another dvt or pe blood clot...

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steve patterson tells us about the bold project to bring them back >> reporter: call it a comeback for the ages. >> oh, hi. >> he's like please let me go. >> reporter: if you listen closely, you can actually hear the san francisco zoo making history in these tanks. >> they make fun noises >> reporter: they're bringing back california's iconic red legged frog, the state amphibian, by first breeding a new generation in captivity at the san francisco zoo. immortalized in literature thanks to author mark twain, these amphibian ambassadors were basically wiped out at yosemite national park thanks to natural and manmade enemies. a sign not to take lightly. >> amphibians are definitely what we consider the canary in the coal mine. an animal that you have in the environment if they start to decline they tell you something about the environment. >> now after being gone for decades, the

red legged frog is ready to go back to yosemite first zoo biologists embed tracking chips in the frogs' skin to track their new life here then finally after a life in captivity, they're ready for their first leap into the wild some swim deep others seem to just take it all in this year's massive snow melt providing a perfect storm. >> we couldn't think of a better time to be reintroducing frogs with how much water we have there are so many places for them to go. >> reporter: now new evidence the experiment is working. biologists are finding the frogs' eggs, a sign they're breeding in the foothills once again. this experiment, a unique partnership between the park, the zoo, and the yosemite conservancy. biologists hope it is a model for other threatened species >> you want to have kids interacting with nature and to me frogs, turtles, fish are the best way to do that. >> reporter: a missing piece to the ecology

puzzle threatening species around the world. steve patterson, nbc news, san francisco. >> that's nbc "nightly news" for this saturday i'm jose diaz-balart reporting from new york thank you for the privilege of your time good night the news at 6:00 starts right now. good evening, and thanks for joining us. i'm anousha rasta. >> we are continuing to follow that breaking news, a mass shooting in el paso, texas. 20 people are dead, 26 more are

injured, some critically. the gunman was taken into custody. he's identified as 21 year old patrick crucias from allen, texas. the attacks began around 10:30 a.m. at a walmart. tonight a lot of people in the beginning stages of shock, grief, disbelief. >> doo, doo, doo, doo. and then i said yes, people were running inside, saying there was a shooter. >> it was loud boxes being drop or something. and it got closer and closer, and when they went inside, when it got louder. >> investigators say the shooter posted some sort of manifesto online before the shooting. it is being characterized as anti-immigration, anticorporation. he said he had these feelings prior to the trump administration. >> hurry up, hurry up!